Music reaches youth. … Music education develops habits
of self-directed learning that drive lifelong success, and it can
inspire community cohesiveness and service. Yet, most schools are
experiencing significant cutbacks. Particularly effective at reaching
disengaged youth, music can be an effective vehicle for a public
service corps that meets social and civic goals.

The MNSI project has recently received $500K from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
to pilot a 10-month fellowship program in the Bay Area. After a summer training institute, Fellows would take up their
service in public schools, engaging in these kinds of activities. The program is set to launch its first cohort in August 2009.

Idealist's
Amy Potthast talks with Kiff Gallagher about the need for music and
arts education in the schools, about his role in developing the
national service legislation that shaped AmeriCorps in 1993, and the
future of the Music National Service Initiative.